


A Bouquet of Daffodils

by PancakeBatter



Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Allspark, But OC starts out human, OC, Transformers - Freeform, mech!Oc, slowburn, yeet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-11
Updated: 2020-03-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:07:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23104450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PancakeBatter/pseuds/PancakeBatter
Relationships: Autobots (Transformers)/Original Female Character(s), Decepticons (Transformers)/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 1





	1. Prologue

A long, drawn-out howling of the beastly blizzard resounded in the chilly winter air. The sky violently spilled her frozen tears in an abundance, as if to burrow her sorrow and dissapointment with them. The dark, inky clouds puffed out as if to intimidate an unseen tresspasser. An arragont gust of wind almost swept up a barely noticable figure. As it clutched itself tighter in a vain effort to keep some of its rapidly decreasing heat, it stocked forward with a more determined pace.

_'Remember, home is just a few blocks away, once we get there we can have all the hot chocolate in the entire world. Now, keep going. C'mon...'_

The sweet promise of the pleasently warm beverage had definelty bolstered her energy, as she almost broke out into a light jog. The wind was rapidly picking up its pace, and the woman cursed herself for thinking that wearing such a light coat was a good idea. She recalled contemplating on wearing gloves, which she was now happy she acted upon as the snowflakes turned into something akin of angry wasps, biting her exposed face with a lively ferocity. 

The flickering lanterns barely illuminated the sidewalk ahead, looking like ghostly candles leading a traveler into the abyss of some-sort-of ghastly-white marsh. The hoarse screech of a self-righteous crow echoed from within dingy alleyway. The neon signs were the only sign of life in the otherwise abandoned-looking storefronts. Small cars were parked far and few in between, ocassionaly hiding behind a pickup truck or another more heave-duty vehichals. What was once a speckless pavement was now covered in a thick and steadily growing blanket of puffy snow, unmarred by footprints of brave (or frankly stupid) travelers. The streets were completely empty, aside for the woman.

_'D-damn, I just went out to get some gum, whoever is controlling the weather must be having a good laugh'_ she mused, as her teeth started chattering. Luckily, with only a few more steps forward, she turned into a familiar alley. The door to the complex was only gaurded with a thought of 'nothing has happened yet and nothing will happen further on', which, the female sought as a very lousy way of saving money. The handle turned with a bossy whine one might hear when asking a child to do their chores. She quickly stepped into the building, mindful not to let the outside get the taste of her rightfully-deserved heat. 

A long winding corrider revealed itself, with its mundane grey "carpet" (or atleast thats what the people who sold her the apartment called it), cream-colored walls and flimsy iron or wood doors. Her feet knowingly took her towards the set of stairs at the end. As the warmth steadily slipped into her skin and bones, her fingers presumed that they were on fire and started heavily complaining with a blazing sensation. The woman, however took no notice as she finally reached the final level of the building and took a couple paces before stopping in front of incospicous iron door. Getting out her keys, she let out a sigh of relief and opened the door. A welcoming flowery smell slightly tingled her nose as she walked in and turned on a soft yellow light in the corridor. Quickly, the female undressed her outer layer and proceeded to dutifully march into the kitchen.

Throwing the forsaken pack of gum she got out of her coats pocket, she immedietly washed her face and hands and started preparing the hot bevarage. Now that she was inside and seperated by a layer of glass, the snowstorm brought a sense of comfort. All that was left to do was get into more comfortable clothes as the milk heated up on the stove and find a boring rom-com she could fall asleep to. Choosing grey sweatpants and green t-shirt, she redressed and turned off the burner beofore the milk could start to boil. Adding the chocolate (and perhaps some more sugar), the female carefully walked into her living room, which was only twice as large as her kitchen, sat down and turned on the TV.

Before she could turn to her favorite cheesy channels, the television decided to show her a news broadcast. It was a few months earlier that almost all of America (or perhaps even the whole world) had found out that we were not alone in this universe. Apparently, we shared it with a bunch of strange robot giants, who decidede to revisit our planet for some undisclosed reason. The first time she heard about it, she was certain it was a massive prank, _'giant robots with laser guns? HAH, yeah, right.'_ But as the days continued, she had to admit the evidence was more and more compelling. For some strange reason, the woman couldn't find it in herself to be shocked, _'well... We shouldn't be surprised, it was bound to happen.'_ And while most of the U.S. freaked out about it, she went on with her life, knowing deep down she probably won't ever be able to see or even be influenced by their actions. _'Both a blessing and a curse when living in such a unpopulated place.'_ Now, however, she realized it wouldn't be possible, as the news anchor hurridly, but still charasmatically, unfolded the events that transpired in Egypt. Albeit, even though it wasn't in great detail, and she understood why, the female was captivated by the story. A rush of unbelief hit her, as she supposed the media wasn't always innocently truthful. 

That was mainly why she got her beloved laptop and started feverishly searching everything she could find on the topic. To her disbelief all the sources sang the same melody. _'H-huh, I... can't beleive we were all that close to...'_ she carefully left that thought drift away. She didn't like to imagine 'what ifs', but it baffled her how close their whole race came to extinction and how some people, who aren't clued in, are completely oblivious to this. Not wanting to speculate further, she went back to reading the articles. 

Despite the passing threat of extermination, there didnt seem to be lots of information on the whole ordeal. Yes, the aliens where involved. Yes, it had something to do with their fued amongst each other. And yes, this all happened in Egypt, the weapon, capable of destroying our sun hidden in one of the pyramids. She knew that much, but it felt like a lot of major details have been dropped. And she was sure that those juicy bits have been covered up by either the extraterrestreiel guests or the goverment (silly as it may seem). The woman had encountered both the people, who think the goverment was overrun with lizard humanoids, and those, who assume it's powerless and is given too much credit. The truth, as she came to find it, was a mixture of both: although the bottom, public branches were susceptiable to corruption, the higher and more secretive branches (such as the elite top of the military or CIA) were capable of recruiting personalities, dedicated to the cause. Not that she knew much about the process, since her way of getting this information was rather unethical, but the individuals she trusted enough to talk to defenitely gave that impression.

Her work was a delicate matter, but not one she did without pride. Since her tender ages, she was infatuated with everything technology. 'How does this work?' and 'Why does this do _this_?' had been very common questions she had asked back then. Noticing her blooming passion, her grandparents (and legal gaurdians) bought her an introductory to computer logic and science. Ever since she had proved to be more than talanted in this subject. Taking extra classes, the young woman met her loyal friends, computer nerds just like her. Working hard on their skills, each of them developed a more than satisfactory skill set. Completing high school with a perfect GPA, she and her group went on to Stanford University to study Computer Science, and other subjects they took interest in, where she was final able to graduate and get her bachelor's degree. Going back to her home state, her grandparents once again surprised her by gifting her her own living space (which she was endlessly grateful for). Although aiming for a job as a computer hardwware engineer, she settled down as a computer system analyst. As time went on, she dabbled into a deeper side of the web and became infatuated with the idea of weasling through blocks and barriers, as a sort of challenge.

This was a secret she shared only with her two closest friends, who, inadvertently also developed this mindset. 'Curiosity killed the cat', was always at the back of her mind, which in the long run made her paranoid. Now, not the she trusted to internet from the beggining, no. For that would be foolish, but she secured extra measures, created programms she was sure would keep her safe and anonimous. After securing herself, both on the internet and inside her mind, she began putting her talent to work, succesfully finding clients in need of a certain programm or such. 

It was in these situations, where her curiosity got the better of her. _'What could they be hiding?'_ The question bled through her mind like acid, and, finally, the woman had enough. Closing up all the tabs, she opened a self-made messanger app and sent a message to two people.

**BuffMan:** Hey, y'all heard the news spinnin' on TV?

The reply was almost instantanious.

**ImTiredPleaseHelp:** yeah! i was just about to text you both 

**8008S** : YUPm, as d skrr, skrr g0rl, the hell, we almost be dead up in this bitch

 **BuffMan:** <-<

 **ImTiredPleaseHelp:** <-<

 **8008S:** y you lookin at me like dattt 

The woman took a deep breath in and exhaled.

**BuffMan:** Ignoring the weird ass, don't you find the story kinda patchy?

 **BuffMan:** Like, the some of the details don't line up?

 **ImTiredPleaseHelp:** hmm, i noticed a few odd things...

 **8008S:** wait

 **8008S** : no

 **BuffMan:** I was thinking, what if there's a a lil' coverup happenin'?

 **8008S:** dont ignore me g0rls

 **ImTiredPleaseHelp:** think its the goverment ot smth?

 **8008S:** G0RLS ;O;

 **BuffMan:** Hot damn, dawg, you're reading my mind. 

**BuffMan:** Soooooo...

 **8008S:** ( / ; O ; /)

 **ImTiredPleaseHelp:** uhuu

 **ImTiredPleaseHelp:** so you want a repeat of the 'rainbow wendigo' situation

 **BuffMan:** Dawg, c'mon, that was just a lil' mistake.

 **8008S:** fine 

**8008S:** guess ill eat all this virtual pizza by my skelf ;<; /V

 **ImTiredPleaseHelp:** -_-

 **ImTiredPleaseHelp:** so when the fbi almost caught your ass when you 'accidentally' exposed your IP adress...

 **BuffMan:** It was a lil' mistake, my dude!!!

 **8008S:** wow guyz this pizza tastes fire :d

 **8008S:** glad im not sharing it wit u

 **ImTiredPleaseHelp:** *sigh*

 **ImTiredPleaseHelp:** i do admit to being a little interested in the whole situation

 **BuffMan:** 'u'

 **ImTiredPleaseHelp:** BUT

 **8008S:** OHHHH]\

 **8008S:** ITS DUBLe CHEeSE "C"

 **BuffMan:** '^'

 **ImTiredPleaseHelp:** ill only help if im in charge

 **8008S:** NOM NOM NOM< NKSNAIN MMMMMM

 **Buffman:** Ayy, so we got a deal then?

 **8008S:** SO GOOF :O: 

**ImTiredPleaseHelp:** unfortunately, lets discuss the details tomorrow, its 3 am here

 **8008S:** GOOD*

 **BuffMan:** Sounds good, sleep tight, man.

_-ImTiredPleaseHelp is offline-_

_-Buffman is offline-_

**8008S:** wow

 **8008S:** so we gon do me like dat?

 **8008S:** ...

 **8008S:** i still love you guys <3

_-8008S is offline-_

With a resigned sigh, the female closed the laptop and lowered her head on to the back of the soft couch. Tomorrow will be prove to be an interesting day, that she knew for sure. It had been a while since they teamed up like this, perhaps a year or more. Michael proved to be the level headed nerd that he is. And Hope hadn't changed a bit. The thought brought a weak smile to her face. _'Just like the good ol' days, am I right, me?' 'Of course you're right, me.'_

She reached for the remote and turned of the TV, put her laptop beneath the couch coushins (which wasn't an ideal hiding spot, but it did well) and stood up to stretch. A sudden drowsiness overtook her and she glanced up to the wall above the doorway.

_11:43_

_'Just in time to get a good nights sleep... I hope'_ The prospect of her falling asleep sent an involuntary shiver down her spine. Praying that tonight would be a peaceful night, she started preparing for sleep. The comfy blanket beckoned her and the pillows sung melodies of soft lullabies. The pleasent scent of the hyacinth spread across her room. Howling like a starved wolf, the wind slighlty shook the building, or so it seemed, and the soft luminescence of the nightlight promised safety from the shadowy demons. Everything was peaceful.

* * *

Amaris Bennet was certinely an interesting character. Her wavy long black hair reached her midback, but was usually pinned up in a ponytail or put in a braid for more practicality and she would would curse out the short, bang-like strands that framed her face. Her high forehead and greek nose gave her a sharpwitted appearance. Her wide jade eyes held a hint of amusment, that was dismissed by the dark circles around them. Plump, but chapped lips adorned her lower face followed by a sharp jaw. Her complexion was pale, probably a side-effect of not seeing the sun in over a few weeks (blame the weather). A good 5' 10" in height, accompanied by a slight hunch in her shoulders. She was not skinny, nor fat, nor did she have any impressive curves. 

Perhaps she could flatter someone with her appearance, but it was her wit that was her true treasure. And it seemed that her curious demeanor balanced it out, as she tended to (and might I add: very carefully) shove her nose into someones business. She was curious about the people around her, the area around her and the life thrumming within her. It was a question she contemplated quite often, and often she didn't reach a satasfactory answer. As this trait appeared in her early childhood years, it caused some undelightful memories and situations, ones where she berated herself for even thinking about. Some of these unfortunate events brought gifts of paranoia. Amaris often wondered how people could so casually reveal soemthing of themselves to complete strangers, wether outside or on the internet. She wondered how they could walk in dark alleys and passages without a care in the world. But, she supposed, the world was full of naive individuals. 

In whole, she was a whimsical human. 

Atleast that was what Mat'er concluded.

And this human would certinaly play a significant role in the World's both near and distant future.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aight, just a warning, things will be kinda slow in the first few chapters. (Wanna build that good story base, muchachas)
> 
> So sorry for that ⊂( ͡─ ₃ ͡─)⊃
> 
> Here, have a cookie - ⊗

The surrounding warmth was comforting, so much that she wished she could be left in this state forever, flowing on the edge of consciousness like a raft slowly pushed by the rivers flow. All was fine until Amaris heard a small rasp so faint that she assumed it was the works of her mind. She was proved wrong when the noise repeated itself, louder this time. Only now did the woman feel her muscles aching and the once pleasant position now seemed cramped. As tiny tingles ran along her face, Amaris moved her arms in a stretching pose, while releasing a satsfied yawn. Slowly, she opened her bleary eyes to inspect the source of the sound.

The female was greeted with a familiar sight: the room was fully submerged in a dim layer of darkness, disspelled only by the delicate luminescence of the nightlight on her birch nightstand, beside her. Her bed was neatly tucked in the corner, between a wall and greyish-brown wardrobe. Beyond the nightstand was a table, holding many unusual trinkets and marked paper, alongside a sizeable monitor. Right above the table prevailed a large window, hidden behind heavy lavender curtains. Deeper into the room, Amaris could barely make-out the shapes of a drawer and bookcase. And, although she couldn't discern the objects on top of the drawer, the sweet aroma reminded her of the mauve flowers residing in clay pots.

As she examined the room, Amris couldn't find anything strange or out of place, and assumed that it was something her brain created. Right until it repeated. Now more awake, her heart involantarily started beating faster, as the sound was louder than before. Turning her head to the supposed location, the woman was greeted by lavender curtains. As she pushed herself up, she glanced at the clock, only to find it was five in the morning. _'Oh hell naw, man. You playin'. This is how scary movies start.'_ Abanfoning all logic, Amaris was swarmed with thoughts of scary deformed faces and much, much more gruesome beasts. But, unfortunately for her, not looking wasn't an option, because if she didn't check it out now, the possibilities would taunt her even more so. 

Slowly and as not to make a sound, the female slid out of her cozy bed and creeped towards the window.

First step...

Second step...

Then the scraping resonated. She felt her heart trying to break through her ribcage and run away on its own. Steadying her breaths, she continued forward, though her arms and legs protested with a tiny electric surge every time she took a step closer. Finally, Amaris reached the curtain and mentally braced herself for what she was about to witness. _'Here goes nothing...'_ She took one last, deep breath and rapidly tore the curtains apart. 

The image that greeted her almost made Amaris laugh. _'Are you serious? Ugh, I'm such a scaredy cat.'_ On the ledge, outside the window sat a small, but well fed, band-tailed dove. As it looked at her with a distrusting eye, it clacked the glass again in a hasty fashion, as if knocking. Amaris tried shooing it away with her hands, but the bird didn't seem to want to leave. And only then did the woman notice that something was tied to the birds leg. Carefully opening the window, she was surprised to see the dove obediently hop in without a care in the world. She was also astonished that it didn't veer away from her touch. Without closely observing the object stuck to its leg, she rummaged for her box-cutter knife.

Finding it, Bennet gingerly took the birds limb into her palms only to find it was a sort of small peice of paper, dreadingly similiar to a miniture version of a scroll. As she cut it off, the dove paced a few circles and then hopped back and flew off into the dark abyss. The woman swifly closed the window again, as to not lose anymore precious heat to the winter. 

She took the parchment and inspected it. _'Jeez, what is this? Didn't this kind of stuff die out a long time ago with the coming of smartphones? Plus, seems like some creepy shit, I should probably not open it... buuuuut whose gonna stop me.'_ Cutting the thread holding it together she unraveled the paper. The contents only confused her further. On the yellowish parchment in dark ink was some sort of flower, which was framed by strange, alien-ish symbols. _'The hell? Looks like some witchcraft... Perhaps this is some kind of prank? Although I doubt someone would go out of their way to buy and train a pigeon for a one-time prank. I should show this to Al, he's into that kind of stuff.'_ Reaching such a conclusion, she carefully put the old-looking parchment in a safe place in one of the tables drawers.

With the events of the last few minutes circling in her mind, the female knew she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep. And so, with a couple of light stretches, she proceeded into the kitchen. 

Turning on the dim light, Amaris took out her cup and poured coffee and cream. As she took a sip, she could feel the drink pleasantly spreading its warmth. An enjoyable scent wafted throughout the room. Glancing out the window, the woman noticed it had started to softly snow again. _'As if last night wasn't enough. Here's hoping the plow truck'll come soon.'_ Taking another swig, she gently placed the cup down and started ravaging the refrigerator. Not spying anything appeasing, she closed its door only to open it back up again. _'I need to restock soon. Now, where was that piece of paper I saw lyin' around?'_ Amaris searched, what seemed, every place possible, but to no avail. Only as she sat down, she spotted something white right smack middle on the counter. _'Aww, c'mon, man, I've been searching for that damn thing for, like, 15 minutes!'_

Furiously, she scribbled a bunch of different vegetables, fruit, canned goods and sweets she would need to restock. _'Luckily for me, there's about 2 feet of snow to help me on my journey. Not sure my car was built for that...'_ She fondly remembered parking her red Ford Ka+ just beside the complex, which was now, without a doubt covered in a thick layer of white fluffiness. The thought alone of cleaning it off made her groan in pain. Amaris wasn't exactly too keen on freezing her poor fingers off. 

Finishing her duties in the kitchen, the female strolled back into the bedroom and sat down at her desk. With nothing else to do, the woman booted up the PC, watching as the monitor displayed a familiar logo. It was this item that she so highly praised and worshipped. The obscure and mysterious power of electonics always had a way to lure in unsuspecting people, showing them its many unique wonders. The internet was just a way to show and share these curiosities. With time it became more and more popular, until it fully integrated into the lives of humans, bringing with it a massive flow of information. Some of it was meant to be there, enlighting the race and giving a very resourceful bank of knowledge. And the other... Well... More personal, that Amaris doubted was supposed to be seen by unwanted strangers. They bred gossip, lies and spread an anruly amount of negative emotions. After all, who would want every miniscule detail of their lives recorded and kept in an almost indestructable archive? With the rise of the internet came the rise of various security measures. And this, this exactly had intrigued Amaris, as she dug deeper and deeper into the abysmal pit.

Suddenly, she wanted to understand how to erase her presence, her entire existence, off this platform and, in essence, become a mere ghost. In the beginning, just building and testing her little projects satisfied her, but as time went on, the woman felt as though she wasn't progressing as sufficiently as she wanted. That was when she started exploring and prodding the 'safe bubbles' of other sites, users. It brought a sensation of curiosity, that damn unquenchable curiosity that overtook Amaris like a wildfire. With every new tid-bit of infomation unlocked, she went onto something more challening. And so began a voracious cycle, that mercilessly sucked her in.

Finally, though, came her saving grace, in the form of two dorky friends. They took Amaris's head out of the clouds and brought her back to Earth, tying her down with golden chains of friendship. Confiding in them, she could once and for all drop this stupid obsession. With them she found her inner peace, and for that she was forever thankful. Michael and Hope - the two weirdos who decided to invite her to eat lunch with them.

Happy memories surfaced and Amaris smiled, knowing they always had her back. 

Small icons popped up and the cursor moved towards at the upper left one. As the browser loaded, she couldn't help but return to the many news articles she was studying yesterday. Opening the first source revealed a generic news website design, in the center of which in a neat font was a report of the latest encounter. Diligently reading over it, she picked out that the aliens, who called themselves 'autobots', were given the militiry N.E.S.T HQ in Diego Garcia as a gift for saving the Earth. _'Huh, interesting that they would put that information out... Perhaps a publicity stunt? Seems a bit improbable. I wouldn't be surprised if some news reporter went in and spilled the info for a flashy headline.'_ Scrolling down, an image of mechanical red and blue head appeared. It bore an uncanny resemblance to the human physique, excluding the antenna-like protrusions where humans usually have ears. The caption stated _'Optimus Prime, Leader of Autobots'._ Seeing him upclose, even on a photo, brought a surge of new found belief, as if hearing about them didn't prove their existence. _'Hot damn, so these guys really are real... Jeez, this is probably the first time in years that I've wished time moved faster.'_ The digital clock showed 6:14, making Amaris sag in her chair.

_'Since I have to wait for Michael, I'll just go get the groceries. Let's just pray the streets have been cleared.'_

* * *

The streets were cleared, but there was still a surmountable layer of snow and ice on the road. Quickly, she shuffled to her car knowing it would take a while for it to heat up. The weather was only a tad warmer and far below freezing. The cool minty air greeted the woman, as she sat down in the drivers seat. Waiting for the car to warm up, she looked up at the night sky, knowing full well that the clouds obstructed her views of the galaxies. A small voice in her head wondered if there were more alien species somwhere in deep space, just waiting to get in contact (or commit mass genocide). The vehicle slowly rolled from its parked space and made its way towards the main part of the road. Muscle memory guided towards the store, while Amaris analized and filed her ideas.

She only broke out of it when a big concrete building came into view, the large recognizable logo luring in cheap folk. Finding a place to park was easy, considering the time and day. The female doubted anyone with an early Saturday job was severly happy. She hastily walked to the doors and grabbed a cart near the entrance. _'Let's see... What do I need?'_ Reaching for her pocket, she realized that, apparently, she did _not_ bring the shopping list she so vehemently scribbled. _'Oh well, guess I'll have to wing it.'_ Reluctantly starting her journey, she pushed through various areas of the supermarket.

As Amaris was about to grab a milk carton, she spotted something white flash on the edge of her vision. Now, normaly, it wouldn't bother her - it's Walmart afterall, but considering the hour and the fact that she liked to know all about her surroundings, she glanced towards it. The only thing that met her scrutinizing gaze was a stand with some brand of salty crackers. Dissapointed, the woman put the carton in the basket and continued her hunt. Not four steps away, something flashed again, and, slightly annoyed, she quickly snapped her head only to be let down again.

A little worried, the female decided to hastily grab the last items and head to the register. She was slightly surprised to see the cheery demeanour of the old lady sitting behind the cash register. Something in her expression must've worried the cashier, as she asked how everything was going.

"Oh, uh- S'all good, the weather is freezing though."

"Mhmm, quite an awful lot of snow on the roads, isn't there?"

The grizzled, but sweet voice and the joyful crinkle in her eyes had a soothing quality to them and Amaris's unknowingly rapid heartbeat started to calm down.

"Heh, yeah, atleast they've been cleaned a bit. Can't imagine rowing through all that."

"I'm so glad my daughter bought me car, I'm sure, if I walked here then the wind would have been enough to sweep me right off my little ol' feet"

And then she emitted a soft, crinkly kind of laugh that only old people who spent a lot of time with children made. It had a very cozy undertone that made the young female crack a small smile.

"Y'know, my daughter also recently got me one of those big TVs, and the latest news quite surprised me. Have you heard? We've apparently been saved by some big robots. Now isn't that whimsical?"

"Crazy, I was just as surprised."

"Oh, dear, when I first saw it I thought they were showing an action film. Goodness, I remember how panicked my children were on the phone! Thank the Lord we're all safe..."

There was a pause, as neither could continue the conversation. Luckily, the grandma started speaking again, saving Amaris from the akwardness.

"You know, you look just like my daughter. Black hair, straight nose. If I weren't her mother, I would've thought you were twins!"

As she chuckled, Amaris read the nametag. _'Sherlot Black... That's a surprisingly very grandma-like name.'_

"Well, now you have me interested. What is she like?"

"Oh, very bubbly and friendly. Although, I must admit, when the time comes, she can be an awful scaredy cat. One time..."

Sherlot proceeded to tell her various hilarious stories about Remma, her daughter, and invoked many goodhearted laughs. The tension that she felt before was now completely gone. Since the store was barren and the woman had time to spare, she continued conversing witht the old cashier. After a suprisungly dark humored tale, Amaris looked at her phone and noted the time.

"Oh, wow, 7:30 already? Jeez time goes by fast."

"Sadly, it goes even faster with age. I must be holding you up, sorry" she gave a small, but oddly sad smile.

"Ahaha, don't worry, I've still got some time to get home. It was nice meeting you!"

"Oh, and, Deary, I'm afraid I didn't quite catch your name?"

"Just call me Amy."

"Well, Amy, deary, I won't hold you up any longer. Hope we can meet again soon!"

With a tiny wave, Amaris grabbed the plastic bags and marched towards the sliding doors. She was mulling over the exchange and packing her groceries into the back of her car, when, unexpectedly, the white perpetartor entered her side view again and this time didn't move away. Finally being able to catch the culprit, the woman was met with a figure of a lanky man in a white coat. Out of instinct she almost dropped the last bag, but managed to grip it tightly at the last second.

"Hey, who the hell are you?"

Of course, this was probably not the most welcoming question you would ask a stranger, and the man dared to look offput by her exclamation. With a step back, he answered in a suspiciously high-pitched voice.

"S-sorry, u-uh, I, u-uh, umm. Gah, this wasn't how it was supposed to go..."

Amaris noticed he started mumbling, but payed no attention. She wasn't about to back down.

"So, why were you following me around? C'mon spill it." she said in a slightly aggresive tone.

With a gulp and shaky hands, he started again "S-sorry, sorry, uh, you see, umm, I-I wanted to, um, give you something."

_'Oh hell to the no, I'm out of here'_ Slowly, but surely, she started backing away, never turning her back to him.

"W-wait! Sorry!"

Not buying into his upteenth apology, Amaris quickened her pace, grabbing her keys out of the pocket.

"Gah! Stop backing away! I just need to give you this!"

With that statement he stretched his two hands out to reveal a pale yellow envelope. His pose was comical - he looked just like one of those anime schoolgirls when they submit their love letter, with their head down. In fact, the man looked so lost and unthreataning, that she humored the idea of taking the item. With a quick, untrusting swipe she took the envelope and watched as the guy huffed out a big sigh of, what she deemed was relief, and ran off further into the empty parking lot and out of sight. Not being able to hold it in, she let out a confused chuckle. _'Now, what in tarnation? And I though this kind of stuff only happened in cheesy movies.'_ Bringing the envelope up to the sky, she inspected it, making sure nothing dangerous was inside. Satisfied with the examination, the woman opened the drivers door and turned on the ignition. The low rumble calmed her heartbeat and gave off a reassuring feeling. _'Let's just hope the trip back home isn't as crazy...'_

* * *

With a huff, she unloaded all the needed items into her fridge and plopped into her chair. _'Finally! Now I can focus onto this 'love letter' from creepy Walmart boy.'_ The envelope itself was a soothing yellow color, reminiscent of the Colias Hyale butterfly. Its edges were neat and uncrinkled and the paper was smooth, showing no signs of aging. Suddenly, a parnoid thought creeped into her mind, so that before she could turn it over and open the seam, she put on a pair of latex gloves. _'Never hurts to be cautious... Who am I kidding, if I was cautious I would've thrown that letter away'_ Silently rolling her eyes at herself, Amaris opened the seam and took out a thin, official looking piece of paper.

The ridges were framed with golden paint and the parchment itself had a tan tint to it. Carefully unfolding the frail letter, she was surprised to see a familiar symbol greeting her. _'W-huh? Aren't these the same as...'_ Before she could read the neat cursive words, the female ran into her bedroom to get the other mysterious piece of paper, that arrived earlier this morning. _'H-how?'_ The flower stamp was exactly the same. Curiousity itching its way out, the woman started greedily reading the short letter.

_Greeting, Ms. Bennet,_

_We have been carefully observing you for a very long time and were satisfied with the results. Now this may seem a little untactful of us, but, you see, you're talent is hard to come across. In this instance you may not know exactly what you are or what you can do, but we assure you - you are something special. The only thing, that will hinder your progress, we're afraid, are the many greedy individuals of this world. We know, that you didn't have choice in the matter of having this power, but it doesn't change the fact that you have **it**. **It** has been dormant for all your life, but the times are changing, the universe is fluctuating, and **it** won't sleep for any longer. _

_This means, that you will become a target as soon as it manifests, and without proper defense, you are as good as dead. Therefore, before the Change comes, we offer you our protection and guidance. We cannot tell you everything right now, as we may be intercepted, but, please, be wary and on the look. We are coming._

_With all due loyalty,_

_The Gold Daffodils_

_'What. The. Hell. Is this a stupid prank? No, no, too much work... But it has to be! What do they mean!? What is 'it'? What? How? Why me?'_ Many more thoughts clogged her mind in an instant, each one of them shouting, wanting her full attention. The words she just read mingled and stretched into everything and nothing, here and there and nowhere. Her feelings ran rampad, like an overflowing river, mixing into a frightening concoction of confusion, worry and fear. _'They know my name... **They** know **my** name...' _The statement alone made her stomach twist in knots. Stretching out her hands she noticed how her fingers slightly shook and her brain felt slightly foggy. 

Amaris didn't know how much she sat in that damned chair, staring at that damned letter. The only thing that broke her out of her panicked trance was the sound of the paper crinkling. Trying to deepen her shallow breaths, she let go of the now crumpled letter. _'Stop it, what are you, a kid?'_ Mentally berating herself, she picked up the piece of paper again and carefully put it back into its envelope and took off her gloves. _Now that you have stopped panicking like a sissy, lets rationalize. First, how did they get my name? Hmm, perhaps they heard it while I was on the phone outside? Nah, when was the last time I got a call... Or my workplace... But how did they get my adress? Ah! Mabey they somehow got my name from my apartment complex! That would also explain how they know where I live.'_ Trying to find solutions had unknowingly calmed her. It was a way she coped with such situations and, even when she was a little girl, found it extremely useful.

Slowly, she stood up and creeped towards the window. Peering out of it revealed the usual scene: dingy flourescent lamps shone onto the snow, not yet tainted by the dirt from cars and shoes, the faint outline of the building opposite of her blocked out most of her view of the dark forest. Not that there was much to see there anyway. The only car that moved in the last few hours was hers, as seen by the cold blankets covering the other vehicals windshields. The thick darkness made it hard to interpret much besides that, as it edged on the barrier of soft light. Nothing seemed out of place, but Amaris wasn't taking her chances. She closed the blinds and hurridly ushered to her bedroom to close the curtains. Giving herself a minute to compose herself, the female took the envelope and carefully placed it in a plastic folder. _'I wonder if I can call the police... Are they even going to take me seriously? What if they think I'm pullin' a prank or something? Gah, this is stupid. I'll just wait... If it gets worse **then** I'll call the police.' _Such an argument seemed reasonable.

With a plop, she gathered herself and clicked the power button. The screen lit up and she nimbly typed in her password. The desktop wallpaper of a landscape showed an unimaginably beautiful field, surrounded by dangerously tall cliffs. As Amaris took a quick second to admire it, she noticed that one of the apps had a notifaction. Relief washed over her as she opened it up.

**8008s:** ay!! [7:56]

 **8008s:** any1 up? [7:56]

' _Hope... Exactly the human I need right now'_ She eagerly typed a response.

 **BuffMan:** Ey yo! Guess who's back from the dead!

 **8008s:** ayyy

 **BuffMan:** Ayyy

 **8008s:** i was kinda hopin mike would be on v-v

 **BuffMan:** Wha? 

**BuffMan:** Guess I'll go back to my grave if you don't want me here. ;-;

 **8008s:** wait!

 **8008s:** nooooo

 **8008s:** its just that mike is usually on rn and ur usually snoozin

 **BuffMan:** Aight, aight, I was just pulling your leg. How's it in Arizona?

 **8008s:** hot

 **BuffMan:** Wow, I know I'm handsome, but thank you.

**8008s: ( -_･) ︻デ═一 ▸**

**BuffMan:** :)

 **ImTiredPleaseHelp:** Hope, stop trying to assassinate your friend

 **8008s:** mike! ٩( ♥︡ ▭ ♥︠ )۶

 **BuffMan:** Mike!

 **ImTiredPleaseHelp:** yeah, yeah, im up

 **Buffman:** Ayy, finally. >:}

 **ImTiredPleaseHelp:** ugh

 **ImTiredPleaseHelp:** why did i agree to this

 **BuffMan:** A promise is a promise, Mikey-poo.

 **8008s:** oo oo include me too

 **ImTiredPleaseHelp:** please dont call me that again

 **ImTiredPleaseHelp:** so, where are we going to start?

 **BuffMan:** The good ol' faithful.

 **8008s:** which 1 is dat???

 **BuffMan:** The one Korel Blart keeps neglecting to put some firewalls on. Honestly, I'm starting to think he's never dealt with a computer before.

 **ImTiredPleaseHelp:** what app did you use?

 **BuffMan:** Calculator.

 **8008s:** dat was the1 i designed!!! ¯\\_( ͡~ ₃͡° )_/¯

 **BuffMan:** Aight, yall ready?

 **ImTiredPleaseHelp:** ig

 **8008s:** YAAA!!!

* * *

At some point during the day they switched to a call. Things were going smoothly, Amaris sure they didn't leave a trace. Although, she did find it strange at how easy it had been to go through the last few firewalls; even Hope commented on it. Alas, it didn't matter at the end, as the information they got made them quickly forget about this oddity. 

"Allspark? So you're saying we had this huge cube on Earth for about twelve thousand years?" asked Hope.

"Yeah, but it says here that it was discovered in 1913, they even built _the_ Hoover Dam just to protect it." answered Michael.

"Wait, it says here it's been destroyed..." looking at some of the reports reaveled a complicated history for Amaris.

"Huh?"

"Yeah, and, apparently the last two fragments are in Diego Garcia and some dude names Witwicky S." she replied, reading on further.

"Wow, he even got a scholarship at some uni. Makes the brain smarter? Man, I wish I had that..." 

Amaris snorted, give it up to Hope to start making jokes like that.

"What? I'm serious!"

The silence that followed indicated that they both didn't believe her. 

"Okay, give me second, y'all, while I copy these files real quick."

Yet again, the female noticed how easy it was to get them. There was no wa-

Suddenly, one of the trackers detected unusual activity and started its dreaded beeping. Caught off gaurd, the trio proceeded to end the call and feverishly close all windows. Nimbly, Amaris turned on a few extra programms that would hide her real location. With the last click, she audibly sighed and leaned in her chair, heart still racing and fingers slightly quivering. _'That was close, but I'm sure we got away. There's no way they could have identified us in a few seconds... I hope'_

Just as she was about to shut down the monitor, another app pinged. _'What's this?'_ The cursor slowly edged towards it. A tab of a security application was opened and with moderately sized letters it read: 

**'Security Breach: True**

**Problem: Device emmiting tracking signals**

**Problem: Inability to fix "Device emmiting tracking signals"'**

This made her jolt straight up in her seat. _'What? T-This can't be possible. We were gone in seconds! And all my firewalls should have blocked their view!'_ She knew that something had to be done about this _now,_ there was no time to spare, especially on panicking. _'This day is getting better and better.'_ As she glanced at the digital clock, the female was surprised to see that it was already half past nine. The sun seemed to have strolled in at three and, when it noticed that no one was paying attention, decended back into its earthy cradle at five. They dark sky gave off a foreboding feeling that didn't settle well with the woman.

Taking a deep breath and gathering all her courage, she promptly started unhooking all the cables, connected to the monitor and router. The sleek, metal computer was peculiarly lightweight, a special thanks to another friend, who was hardware designer. The thought of such a exceptional PC going to waste made her mind squirm. Hauling it up, Amaris teetered into the hallway towards the front entrance. Throwing on a coat, she made her way to the poor Ka+ and gingerly set the piece of machinery on the front row passenger seat. As the car warmed up, she had a second to analyze everything that just happened. _'Aww, man, are you serious? Now Mike'll never get off my rear about this.'_ Pressing onto the pedal, the female decided to drive to a nature reserve. _'The farther we are away from civilization the better.'_

* * *

Weightless snowflakes danced in an unpredictable routine and softly settled onto the black and unforgivably cold asphalt only to take off again as a fast vehicle passed them. A few hundred more feet and, almost with a sort of content, it slowed to a stop on the sideline. Turning its roaring motor off, the woman was encompassed with an impenetrable gloom. With a loud sigh, she unbuckled herself and stepped outside. The merciless cold started to dig its long, sharp claws into her frail skin. Ignoring it, she went to the other side of the car and took out a moderately sized metal box.

The heavens wore a garb of poofy clouds, as if trying to shield itself from the weather. The only light she got was the one radiating from the cars headlights. Taking a second to wrap herself around the object more tightly, she shifted towards the clearing. Tall ominous pines loomed over her, as if quietly inspecting her every move. Somewhere deep in their lavish branches a chilling bird scream echoed. 

Reaching the middle of the expanse, Amaris dropped the accursed computer and stood there admiring her work. By this point, she realized, that going out to nowhere wasn't exactly her best idea. _'I should've just destroyed it at home... Ah, well... What's done is done.'_ Rubbing her numb hands together, the female was about to depart back to the warm and safe space of her car when, suddenly, a strange feeling comes over her. It wasn't something she could identify and in her stupor stopped moving altogether. Was it something positive? Was it something negative? No... Or yes? Mabey... Perhaps...

Breaking that line of thought, Amaris wanted to start moving again, but quickly realized that she couldn't move her limbs. Now, another, more familiar sense filled her being. _"N-no! Move! MOVE!'_ Deep down she comprehended, that her screaming in her mind would do nothing to sort the situation. Instead she was left there, the frost slowly taking more and more heat away from her. The female knew that, soon enough, her body would shut down.

A deep humming noise interrupted her morbid musings. To her bewilderment, it made her calm and tranquil. _'I'm supposed to be worrying, not- not-'_

"Finally, you've come to pay me a visit, my dear. I've been waiting for so long."

A sweet, feminine voice trickled like honey into her ears. Unknowingly, its soft resonance lulled her deeper into this strange state. 

"Now, we could talk here, but, I am not sure your body would appreciate that. Come to me, my dear."

Against her will, the woman took a step... and then another... and another. Amaris should have been panicked, scared... yet a sudden apathy towards her safety wrapped tightly around her mind. What took in its place is a furious curiosity. What? Why? Where? _'I must have blacked out and am now freezing to death... Wow, what a pathetic way to go... This is probably just my 'final' hallucination... Or mabey an angel is calling my soul'_ The statement humored her slightly.

The leering trees seemed less intimidating and the once startling screeches were replaced with subdued cooes. The female was sure she was walking for hours... or minutes? It was as if time was twisting in every way possible, trying to confuse its loyal inhabitants. The muted crunch below her feet grounded her, telling Amaris that she was indeed moving somewhere. Low hanging branches lightly brushed her shoulders.

Slowly, the snow seemed to abate, growing thinner and thinner. A gentle and warmhearted breeze tingled her raw fingers. At first the woman thought she imagined it, but, surely, as her legs took her somewhere unimaginable, the air around her faintly became more pleasant. Only now did she become aware of the fact, that the natural ambiance of the woods had completely dissapeared, replaced by a deafening silence. As needles moved out of her way, a clearing came into view. All her senses were groggy and the words in her head jumbled, but one thing for sure was that it _felt right_ to be here. As if it was supposed to be this way all along.

_'Just... a few more... steps... and-'_

The white bedding underneath gave way as she set her foot down and the in the next moment everything fell. 


End file.
